Motion-picture-printing machine.



R. P. STINEIVIAN.

MOTION PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLlcAloN FILED APR.13.1917.

1,260,590. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

atto-Lne 11 R. P. STINEIVIAN.

MOTION PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. 1917.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs I:PATENT oEEIcE.

.IRALPH P. STINEMAN, 0F GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.

I MOTION-PICTURE-PRIN TIN G MACHINE.

To all whom zt may concern.

Be it known that RALPHP. STINEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gulfport, 4in the county of Harrison and State of Mississippi, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion- Picture-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motion picture printing machines and its object is to provide an improved device of this character constructed in such manner as to maintain the positive and negative films in close con* tact during the printing operation; to provide a rolling backing for the films; to render it possible for the operator to ascertain the density of the negative film at any given moment and to AVary the light admitted to the films according to the density of the negative film.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a front elevation of a part of a printing mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view therethrough, and

Fig. 4L is a view through a complete print- -ing machine with the door thereof removed. Like numerals designate corresponding parts 'in all of the figuresbf the drawings.

Referring to the drawings 5 designates the casing of the printing machine having located therein a reel 6 for negative film and areel 7 for positive film. A source of light (in the present instance an incandescent bulb 8l provides light for the printing operation though it will of course be understood that any suitable light may be employed.

The two films'are led across an opening 9a formed in a plate 9 with the negative film interposed between the positive film and the light 8 and it is in the mechanism arranged adjacent the opening- 9a that the invention particularly resides.

Film of this nature has a tendency to curl inward and it has been found to be difHcult to secure a close contact between the positive and negative films, particularly in those machines in which the film is dragged through in a straight line.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1917.

travel.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918. serial No. 161,878. I

l avoid the foregoing difficulty by passing thetwo films over a convex surface at the printing point. ln the present instance this convex surface is provided by a large roller or drum l0 over which the two films This drum l0 is mounted in the free end of an arm 11, said arm being pivoted to a lug l2 of plate 9. A flat spring 13 bears upon the arm l1 and presses the drum 10 toward the opening 9 to thereby thrust the two films out of a straight line and to cause the negative film to closely contact with the positive film.

Above the printing opening 9a the plate 9 is provided with another opening 14 which is covered by a ruby glass l5 which admits sufficient non-actinic light to enable the operator to determine the density of the negativ-e film at any point in the length thereof. This' is important, particularly where the negative has been exposed in the open. under varying light conditions. To enable the operator to vary the light to which the films are subjected during the printing operation as the density of the negative film may require I provide a shutter consisting of the parallel plates 16 together with means for actuating said plates in unison, said means consisting of links 162t pivoted at 16h. An operating handle 16c is connected to one of the pivots. When the handle is moved the plates move either toward or from each other but remain in parallelism. Consequently the length of the exposure of the film may be varied.

rlhe incoming film from the reels 6 and 7 passes over guide rollers 17 and 18 journaled between guide ribs 19 of plate 9 then over the drum as. above described and then over guide rollers 20 and 21', said film being drawn over the rolling drum 10 by the teeth 21 of feed wheels 22 on a driven shaft 23. It will, therefore, beseen that the film is not dragged over a fixedv surface as in some types of printing machines and which action has often resulted in scratching the positive film but. upon the contrary always engages rolling surfaces. To aid' in renderin the movement of the films smooth and unlnterrupted, I prefer to mount a balance wheel 24 upon the shaft 23. This shaft may be hand or motor driven and to render it possible to actuate it 'by hand` I may mounty a .crank 24* thereon.

To suitably tension the incoming film I provide a bar 25 carrying resilient tension fingers 26. This bar is pivoted at 27 to a lug 28 disposed at one side of the film. The free end of this bar is adapted to be engaged by a latch 29 which is moved to engaging position by a spring 30. The tension lingers 26 press the films against. smooth surfaces 31 formed opposite said tension fingers. By releasing the latch 29 the entire tensioning means may be swung back out of the way during the time that the films are being threaded through the machine.

An additional window 35 provides means to permit. the operator to see the extent of movement ofthe plates 16 toward and from each other. Consequently he can always tellhovv much light is passing to the films.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and inexpensive means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention but while the elements shown are well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but includes within its purview such changes as come within the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim is 1. In a device of .the characterv described, the combination with an element having a light opening formed therein, of a movable .element constituting a backing for the film,

disposed in the rear of said light opening, said element likewise having an opening disposed in advance of the light opening and covered with material which prevents the passage of actinic rays.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rotatable drum, an element having a light. opening disposed in front of said drum, means for drawing the film past said drum and in front of said light opening and a spring normally tending to thrust said drum toward the light opening to thereby thrust the film out of a straight line.

3. A tension element for motion picture film comprising a bar pivoted to swing across the path of movement of the film and. tension fingers carried by said bar, said tension fingers extending longitudinally of the path of movement of the film and a latch arranged to engage the free end of the bar and hold the tension fingersinto contact with the face of the film. l

4. In a motion picture printing machine, the combination with a guide for the film having a light opening formed in the length thereof, a rotatable drum mounted in the rear of said light opening, said drum being mounted for bodily movement toward and from 'the light opening, spring means normally tending to move said drum toward the light opening, tension means disposed in the line of the guide and in advance of the drum and a feeding means for the film upon the side of the drum remote from the tension means. 4

5. In a motion picture printing machine, the combination with a guide for the film, having alight opening in the length thereof over which light opening said films are drawn, a rotatable drum mounted in the rear of said light opening, said drum being mounted for bodily movement toward and from the light opening, spring means normally tending to move said drum toward the light opening, tension means disposed in the line of the uidc and in advance of the drum, said guide having opening for the passage of non-actinic rays 1n advance of the drum and a feeding means for the film upon the side of thepdrum remote from the tension means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

p RALPH P. ST INEMAN. Witnesses:

WV. R. BARBER, C. A. STEWART. 

